Painted Keel

[Bilge Rat]

I recently bought a 2009 Sun Cat. The keel looks like it has been painted with some kind of paint like anti-fouling paint? It's a chalky paint and easily scrapes off with my fingernail.  The rest of the bottom looks unpainted.  The guy I bought it from said the boat came that way and he bought it from the original owner who purchased it from Compac but never sailed it. 

My question is, is the way they come from the factory (keel painted with anti-fouling)?  I just can't figure out why someone would put anti-fouling paint on the keel only?
Any insight would be appreciated. I'll try to attach a photo.

http://s1083.photobucket.com/user/Murdell/media/366_zpsfx4u6l9g.jpg.html
Thanks,

Shawn

[hoddinr]

Could it have been on a lift that allowed the keel to get wet at high tide?

Ron

[Bilge Rat]

I hadn't thought about that. The P/O did keep it at his dock in a freshwater lake for a few months of the year but I think it was fully in the water because there is some dried mud on the bottom of the keel and some other stains in the fiberglass on the underside.  I assume that if it had been on a lift the bottom would be cleaner than it is.

[Shawn]

Maybe it was more about painting the centerboard and inside the trunk as those are much harder to clean then the rest of the hull?

Shawn

[Tom L.]

That's peculiar to just paint the keel with anti fouling paint and from the photo and description it sounds like anti fouling.  Is there any possibility the PO was masking some repaired damage to the keel. But why anti fouling?

Or maybe the boat was painted and the PO removed the old anti fouling except for the keel which is harder to get to without a lift.

A mystery to be solved.

If your not going to leave the boat in the water get rid of the Anti fouling.

[Bilge Rat]

I am going to take it to a boat yard with a lift and have it more thoroughly inspected. And yes, I'd like to get all the anitfouling paint removed. I sincerely hope that the centerboard is not painted - I had not thought of that possibility.

[Jeff S]

Epoxy Coat - Anti-fouling is a factory option but what you have is not the way it would have ever left the factory.  This looks like a localized fix for prior undisclosed damage.